I'll Bring You Home
by Silvery Dire Wolf
Summary: "What do you mean, he's not coming back?" I ask, despair evident in my voice. He gives me a cold, hard look. "The Peeta who loves you is gone. All that's left here is me." Contains violent and dark themes.
1. Beginning of the End

This story is set near the end of Mockingjay but before the epilogue. It's my take on hijacked Peeta. Enjoy!

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><p>Chapter 1: Beginning of the End<p>

I force my eyes open to greet the day, wanting nothing more than to stay in bed. As my vision begins to focus I see Peeta's chest rise and fall as he sleeps. His arm is curled around me and he looks so peaceful. It's a shame I have to wake him. We have somewhere to be today, and Haymitch won't wait around forever.

"Peeta," I whisper into his ear. He cuddles closer to me until he is practically on top of me. His head is pressed against mine so that our noses touch. This isn't working. His warmth is making my eyelids heavy. I need to try a different tactic. "Peeta, you're crushing me."

That gets his attention. His eyes snap open and he rolls away from me, alarmed. "I'm so sorry. Are you hurt?"

I bite my lip. Why did I say that? Now he is going to think that he hurt me. I only meant to wake him, not make him worry. "You would never hurt me."

Peeta gives me a hard look. "_I _wouldn't hurt you, but _he_ might."

He is referring to hijacked Peeta, the tortured soul that still dwells within him, threatening to take over. Every now and then the real him is swallowed up by the other Peeta. The one who hates me. I have accepted that he will never truly be normal again. He will always be fighting an internal battle for control over himself, and there is nothing I can say or do to help him.

"Katniss..."

I can see the pain in his eyes. I caused this. I hurt him with my words just like I always do. He would be better off with someone who will protect him, not someone who was ready to kill him during the rebellion. I am the source of all his love and all his anguish.

"We need to get going," I say, changing the subject. "Haymitch is waiting."

We have to attend a party in celebration of our victory over the Capitol. I've been dreading this for days. Going will only be a reminder of all the rebellion has taken from me: Prim, Finnick, even a part of Peeta is gone. Haymitch tried to get us out of it, but Plutarch wouldn't take no for an answer. He insisted we at least make an appearance. I had been the face of the rebellion, after all.

I crawl out of bed and head toward the dresser, trying to decide what to wear. Something that isn't too showy but isn't too casual. Some kind of plain dress. I dig through the dresser until I pull out a green one. That will do. It's emerald green and goes down to my knees. I think it's elegant without being too fancy.

Peeta picks out a nice collared shirt and plain black pants for himself. He hands me my mockingjay pin. "They'll be expecting you to wear it." I let him pin it to my dress strap.

We walk hand-in-hand out the door of our hotel room and into the crisp Capitol air. The sun shines brightly overhead as we walk toward Haymitch's room. "I hope he's not drunk."

"It's Haymitch," Peeta replies with a small smile. "He probably is."

I knock on the door repeatedly until a gruff voice calls out to me. "What do you want?" He's drunk. I sigh in frustration when he doesn't come out.

"Let's go. I want to get this thing over with," I say through the door. I can hear a glass bottle shatter against the floor. "You weren't supposed to be drinking."

The door swings open seconds later, revealing a half-naked Haymitch. "I got tired of waiting."

I turn my head away in shock. "Where are your pants?" Peeta is laughing beside me, but I squeeze his hand tightly to shut him up.

Haymitch mumbles about how he knew he was forgetting something and disappears into the dark room. A stream of curse words and the sound of things being tossed around can be heard throughout the hotel. I try to avoid the annoyed stares of other guests as we wait for Haymitch. Why does he have to be so embarrassing?

He reappears fully clothed after what seems like hours. "How long are we staying?"

"Not long," I reply automatically.

We walk the short mile from our hotel to the celebration venue. The building is black with neon pink stripes, making it stand out against the plain-looking living quarters that surround it. I have to wonder why they built it in a regular neighborhood.

Peeta holds the door open for us as we walk inside. He is the last to enter but the first to comment on the venue. "It certainly is pink in here."

That is an understatement. The floor, the walls, everything but the lights is painted the same neon pink as the outside of the building. It looks as if the color itself vomited its very essence into the room.

I have the sudden urge to flee back outside, but Peeta grabs my hand again and holds me to the spot. The look on his face says that he shares my desire to run. I don't trust my legs so I let Peeta lead me to the table of refreshments. I pop some kind of pastry into my mouth. It's sticky and tastes like blackberries, but I don't like it. It's amateur at best compared to what Peeta can make.

People swarm around us, making me feel claustrophobic. Everyone wants to speak to me, but I can barely hear them above the pounding of my heart. I feel like a caged animal about to be slaughtered.

Peeta notices my discomfort and speaks up. "Please," he says loudly. "If you could kindly give her some space, I'm sure she will be glad to answer any questions." The crowd backs up almost immediately. "Thank you."

I spend the next hour answering questions and casually chatting with what seems like a horde of people. I swear I'll snap if one more person asks how I felt when Peeta was captured. It's none of their business, and I don't want to relive the pain right now.

The horde of people is never ending. I sign autographs, pose for photos, and continue to answer question. They must have me confused with a celebrity. I didn't do anything special and I wish they would stop acting like I did. The rebels won the war, not me.

I decide I can't take this anymore and begin pushing through the crowd, searching for Haymitch or Peeta. I lost Peeta somewhere between the questions and the photos. I find Haymitch talking to Plutarch by the bar and I shove my way to him. "Haymitch, have you seen Peeta?"

He looks up at me and shakes his head. "I thought he was with you."

I open my mouth to say something but am silenced by Plutarch. "I'm so glad you could make it. I have a special surprise in store for you."

I don't like the sound of that. "Oh. We were about to leave."

"It won't take too long," he promises.

I reluctantly agree to stay and take a seat beside Haymitch, who is even more intoxicated than before. He pushes a glass of white liquor in my direction. "You look stressed, sweetheart. Have a drink."

I decline the offer and pass it back to him. It will be impossible to fight my way through the crowd while drunk.

Plutarch's voice can be heard over the roar of the crowd. "We are here to celebrate our victory against the Capitol. Let us promise to never forget those we've lost and those we've killed." I see his face on a big screen hanging from the far wall. He turns to look at me. "And we are here to honor our mockingjay, Katniss Everdeen."

His face disappears from the screen and is replaced with an animated clip of my mockingjay pin. Then, to my horror, Plutarch begins playing propaganda from the rebels _and_ the Capitol. Peeta! I've got to find him before the video upsets him.

"What the hell?" Haymitch mutters, stumbling to his feet. "I'm going to have a word with that idiot."

I rush through the crowd, occasionally knocking people down. I ignore their shouts and continue on my quest to find Peeta. He has to be around here somewhere. I trip over my own feet and fall to the floor, covering my head so it doesn't get trampled. A few minutes pass before there is enough room for me to stand. Sweat is dripping down my face as I dive back into the sea of people. I panic at the thought of not being able to find him in the crowd.

"Peeta!" I shout at the top of my lungs. "Where are you?"

That's when I see him standing by the door, eyes wide and a frightened look on his face. His hands are clenched and he is grinding his teeth. I knew he would be upset by the video. I slow to a stop as I reach him, but he doesn't acknowledge me. Instead, Peeta turns away from me and violently pushes open the door, walking out of the party hall. I follow him onto the sidewalk. "Peeta..."

He stands on the hard pavement with his back to me, head down as if he's looking at something. "He's not coming back," he whispers.

I quickly realize that this is hijacked Peeta. Is he referring to his normal self? "What do you mean, he's not coming back?" I ask, despair evident in my voice.

He gives me a cold, hard look. "The Peeta who loves you is gone. All that's left here is me."


	2. Heartless

Chapter 2: Heartless

I stare into the cold eyes of the one who hates me. This Peeta is my enemy. He'll kill me if he gets the chance. "He's not gone," I say angrily. "I'm going to find him and bring him home!"

He tilts his head up to the sky and laughs. "You're too funny. No wonder he loves you." His eyes meet mine again, and I look away.

I hate him because he is everything the real Peeta is not: cold, calculating, murderous. This is what the Capitol has turned him into, but I know my Peeta is in there somewhere. I just need to find him.

He takes a step toward me, eyes narrowed. I instinctively back up. "What's the matter? Don't you love me?"

He is making fun of me. He knows that I will never again raise my weapon against Peeta. I can't kill him. He's all I have left.

I begin to panic when he is within inches of my face. I might have to fight him in order to escape. My nails are long, thankfully, so I can scratch his face if need be.

"Get down!"

I duck at the sound of Haymitch's voice. What does he plan to do? I see a metallic blur fly passed my face and lodge itself into a nearby house. "Don't attack him!" I shriek, standing up to defend Peeta.

Haymitch gives me a pained look. "I love him, too, but now's not the time to be sentimental. He's armed!"

Peeta didn't have a weapon when we left the hotel. What could he have possibly found here, at a fancy party? I hear a noise and jump back just in time to see him smash a rock into the pavement.

Haymitch grabs another knife, but I slap it out of his hand, angry that he could even think of killing Peeta. I have to protect him, because he will come back to me. He always comes back to me.

I hear a second rock hit the ground. I turn around to face my attacker, arms raised to defend myself from an attack that never comes. Peeta is clutching his head in his hands, fighting for control of his body. Tears fall silently down his cheeks. "Katniss, get away from me!"

That's him. That's _my_ Peeta. I have to help him remain in control, but how? Kissing him worked during the rebellion, so I decide to try it again.

"No," he whispers pitifully. "He's going to kill you. I don't want him to kill you."

I reach for him, tears in my eyes, but he backs away from me. All signs of sadness and love are gone, replaced by the heartless monster that is hijacked Peeta. There is a fearful look in his eyes, and I realize that Haymitch is now standing beside me, holding up the knife.

"Go. If you know what's good for you."

I look up at Haymitch, stunned. He can't tell Peeta to leave! We'll never see him again. "What are you doing?"

"He's too far gone right now. Just let him go off and calm down." Haymitch glares at him. "Go on, get!"

He looks at me, hoping I will stop him. When I don't say a word, Peeta turns on his heel and runs from us. I wipe away the tears threatening to fall and watch him go, sniffling. "Why did Plutarch show those stupid videos?" I ask, trying to steady my voice.

Haymitch collects his knife from the house. "He wanted to show how strong the rebels were and how weak the Capitol was."

"Weak?" I can feel anger bubbling inside my veins. The Capitol killed countless people before the rebellion and during it. They were the ones hosting the Games for their own amusement. Not to mention what they turned my gentle Peeta into. "Look at what they did to Peeta! You call that weak? They made him into a monster so that he can _kill_ me."

"Weak may not be the right word. I think Plutarch was trying to express the Capitol's cruelty." Haymitch walks over to me and pats my shoulder. "We'll get him back. That boy will never give up until he's with you again."

I'm grateful to Haymitch for trying to cheer me up; It helps a little. "We don't have to go back to the party, do we?"

He shakes his head. "No. I told Plutarch that we're leaving now. He did apologize for what happened."

We walk back to the hotel in silence. I lock myself in my room and flop onto the bed, finally letting the tears flow down my face. I've come to terms with my feelings for Peeta; I love him dearly. I want him to hold me and kiss me and love me, but he's trapped deep within the shadows of his own mind. There's no way to fix what the Capitol has done to him. Peeta will never be whole again.

I stay in my room for hours, sulking and crying. Haymitch checks on me twice before giving up. I don't want to talk to him right now. I keep thinking about how lonely Peeta must feel. I've abandoned him again, left him alone with his dark side.

My dreams are haunted by him. He is standing over me as the life slowly drains from my body. My face is swollen and bruised, unrecognizable even to me. My body hurts all over but I can't bring myself to hate him. I can see the horrified look on his face as he comes to his senses. He drops to his knees and kisses me all over; It feels nice. Then I'm dead and he is standing over my grave, a bouquet of lilies in his hands. His hair is gray and his face is wrinkled, indicating the passage of time. No one is by his side when he finally slips off into oblivion to join me.

I wake up screaming his name, but he is not there to comfort me. I'm completely alone. I climb out of bed and exit the room, still wearing the dress I had on yesterday. I knock on Haymitch's door, and he answers it almost immediately.

"Finally stopped screaming, sweetheart?" His tone of voice is soft, almost gentle. He must know the fragile state my mind and heart are in.

"Was I that loud?" I ask, feeling embarrassed.

Haymitch grunts. "You were loud enough to wake the dead."

I avert my gaze, blushing. "Sorry."

"Come on in. I've got something to show you." He beckons me inside.

I follow him into the room and close the door behind me. There are liquor bottles scattered around the floor, making it nearly impossible to walk. "You are such a slob."

"Look," he says, ignoring my insult.

My eyes fall onto the bed, where something large is tossing and turning in its sleep. It takes me a minute to realize it's Peeta. "You found him!" I rush forward and throw my arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. He doesn't wake up.

"He was passed out in front of the door to your room. He seems to be better now..." Haymitch lets his sentence drop.

I look up from the sleeping boy in my arms. "But?"

"Even while unconscious he is still fighting for control." Haymitch hands me a crumpled piece of paper. "I found this clutched in his hand. It's a warning message."

I straighten out the note and read it.

_Katniss, stay away from him. He is the exact opposite of me. He will trick you, don't let him trick you. He doesn't just want to kill you; that would be too easy. He wants to torture you, both physically and mentally. I made up a code you can use to tell if it's the real me or not. If you say 'bread', I'll say 'arrow'. Don't come near me if I say anything else. I love you._

_-Peeta_

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><p>I've always pictured Peeta and his hijacked self to be like Jekyll and Hyde. One is good; the other is evil. That's what I'm trying to portray in this story.<p> 


	3. There is a Difference

Chapter 3: There is a Difference

I reread the note over and over again, wondering which Peeta had written it. I want to believe it was my Peeta, but there is no way to tell for sure. I'll just have to see what happens when he wakes up. "Do you think this note is a trick?" I ask Haymitch.

"It might be," he admits. "Or it might not be. Which one do you think would care enough to warn you?"

"The real one," I say automatically. Hijacked Peeta is only concerned with preserving his own life and taking mine. The real Peeta wants to protect me. I let the note fall to the floor as I pull him even closer to me. It doesn't matter how close he is, he still feels so far away.

"Exactly. We still have a shot at getting him back." Haymitch grabs a half empty bottle from the floor and sits beside me, chugging the white liquor. There is a faraway look in his eyes, as if he's not completely here.

I realize that Haymitch must be feeling as helpless as I am. All we can do is watch as another loved one is ripped from us. It's not fair. The Capitol has taken everything else away from us, but I'm not letting go of Peeta. I've lost too many friends already; I can't lose him, too.

"Katniss..."

I jump at the sound of his voice; Haymitch grabs a knife from the nightstand. "No," I say firmly, pulling it from his hands.

"It's for our protection," Haymitch replies, taking it back.

Peeta relaxes into my embrace with a sigh of content. Is he the real one, the one who loves me? I decide to try out his code. "Are you hungry? Do you want some bread?"

He looks up at me and forces a smile. "Only if you shoot it with an arrow."

"You're back." I break into a pitiful sob. I'm about to kiss him but he stops me, shaking his head. I feel confused and hurt by his resistance. Can't he tell how much I need him right now? "Why not?"

He untangles himself from me and leans against the wall. "I have very little control," he says seriously, sadness in his voice. "Very little time." He reaches out to me, and I take his hand in mine. The gesture seems to calm him. "You are my weakness. If I lose control, he will hurt you before you realize it's not me."

"There must be something we can do." I turn my attention back to Haymitch. "Isn't there any way to help him?"

Haymitch is quiet for a long time, thinking it over. "Well," he says after a few minutes, "the Capitol _is_ the ideal place to look for answers. We could ask around, see if anyone knows anything. There's no way to reverse the hijacking, but we might be able to keep the other Peeta from showing his face."

I breathe a sigh of relief. So there is a way to help him, after all. "Aren't there still Capitol peacekeepers and scientists who haven't been executed yet? Couldn't we ask one of them?"

"We would need clearance," Haymitch tells me. "I think I can get it."

"Now hold on," Peeta says, interrupting our conversation. "I don't want you to risk your life for me. If worse comes to worse, kill me. I won't hold it against you."

I am furious by his words. After everything, does he really believe I could kill him? I hold him down and press my lips against his, ignoring his protests. I can feel him fighting to maintain control as he kisses me back. One moment he is gentle and loving, the next he is forceful and it hurts. I only stop to take a breath. Peeta is panting as he stares at me with a look of disbelief.

Haymitch coughs to remind us he is here. "Let's get going. We have a lot of work to do."

I get off the bed and head to the door, giving Peeta one final look before I leave. I run back to my room, throw open the door, and begin changing without closing it. I put on some jeans, comfortable shoes, and a plain shirt. I grab my father's hunting jacket as an afterthought. It's chilly out today.

Haymitch is waiting for me in the hall. "I told him to stay in the hotel room. If he is gone by the time we get back, then we are to assume he is the other Peeta."

"What if he follows us?" I ask hesitantly. He might get worried and come after us.

Haymitch narrows his eyes. "Then we assume he is the other Peeta."

We spend the rest of the day searching for answers. Haymitch gets clearance from President Paylor to go into the holding cells where the captives are being kept. Those who are to be executed today or tomorrow are off-limits to us.

Haymitch leads me to a scientist named Nox, who spends his time carving sculptures out of soap with his nails. He looks up as we approach him. "Someone's come to visit me? It's about time." He tosses me a soap sculpture of a mockingjay; I crush it in my hands.

"You're one of the scientists who hijacked Peeta?" I have to force my voice to sound calm and fearless.

Nox nods his head as he walks closer to the bars that divide us, gripping them tightly in his hands. "You're Katniss." It's not a question; he knows exactly who I am. "I was the head scientist who worked on him. That kid just wouldn't let us twist his memory of you. He resisted for such a long time."

Something snaps inside me and I leap forward, ready to end his miserable existence. Haymitch has to hold me back in order to prevent me from injuring Nox. He pushes me to the ground and glares at me until he's sure I won't make a move.

"Sorry about that. She's in love," he explains to the curious scientist. "Look, I'll make a deal with you. Paylor says you want your books, the ones from the laboratory. I'll have them sent to you if you help us."

Nox considers this offer for several minutes, weighing the pros and cons out loud. He looks Haymitch dead in the eye and says, "okay. You've got yourself a deal."

Haymitch asks a guard to bring Nox his books from the laboratory. "I held up my end of the bargain, now it's your turn. How can we help Peeta?"

Nox doesn't answer until the books are in his hands. "You can't reverse the hijacking."

"We know that!" I snap. "Isn't there a way to keep him from reverting to the other Peeta, the hijacked one?"

"Shock therapy," Nox replies. He's too busy flipping through a book to look at us. "That might keep him from switching personalities as often."

Shock therapy! Isn't that a form of torture? I can't willingly torture Peeta. "How would that help him?" I ask angrily.

"Electricity can change the way the brain works. It can potentially destroy some of the parts I tampered with. However, it can also damage the other parts of his fragile mind. That's just the chance you will have to take."

"Isn't there anything else we can do?" Haymitch questions, placing a hand on my shoulder to calm me.

He glances up from his book, eyes narrowed. "Not unless you're willing to part with him."

My only other option is to kill Peeta, and that simply won't do. I can't take his life even if I want to, which I don't. "Thanks for your help."

As I turn to leave I see him there, staring at me. Peeta. He must have followed us. I'm about to run to him when Haymitch's voice stops me.

"It's not him. He wasn't supposed to leave the hotel room, remember?" Haymitch pulls the knife from his belt.

Peeta takes a step back, eyes wide in alarm. "What are you doing?" He sounds normal, but something isn't right. The real one would have known not to leave the room. He would have understood the consequences and stayed put.

I slowly walk toward him and take his hand, pulling him along. I have to get him out of here before there is a confrontation. I lead him out into the open, where we are surrounded by armed guards.

"I love you, Katniss," he says suddenly, startling me.

His words break my heart. What if I'm wrong and this is the real Peeta? What if I'm not able to tell them apart anymore? I look at his face, study the way his eyes are narrowed ever so slightly. I notice how his hand is gripping mine a little too tightly.

Peeta is staring at me, waiting for me to say something. I ask the first question that pops into my head. "Why did you follow us?"

"I was worried about you," he replies.

I can't think of a way to use the code word without it sounding too obvious. I'm still not even sure which Peeta came up with the idea. It must have been the real one, because only he would kiss me like that. The other one is too rough, too hostile. He's like a completely different person. That's it! There must be things about Peeta that even he doesn't know.

I take him back to the hotel under the pretense of going to bed early. I don't realize the flaw in my plan until it's too late and I'm alone with him. "So..." Where to start? I need to make it seem natural. "Do you want to sleep with the windows open or closed?"

"Open," he says immediately. Damn.

Maybe he doesn't know Peeta's favorite color. I walk over to the dresser, grabbing a plain orange shirt and a more revealing red one. "Tomorrow, I was thinking we could go to a fancy restaurant. You said you wanted to try that seafood one down the street. Which shirt should I wear?" Surely he'll pick the red one.

"Orange. It's my favorite color."

I throw the shirts back into the dresser, feeling defeated. He answered my questions with ease, and I begin to wonder if he knows what I'm doing. I need to try something else, because this isn't working.

The real Peeta is romantic and loving. He will say or do something that makes me feel special. This one did say he loves me, but that doesn't count. Anyone can say those three words. I have to get something more out of him. "Ready for bed?"

I decide not to change in front of him; that would be too weird. I simply take my jacket off and crawl under the covers, motioning for him to join me. He lies down but doesn't cuddle up to me. This Peeta doesn't know how to love, but he is a good actor.

I spring from my place on the bed and tackle him to the floor, much to his surprise. I wish I had something to bind his hands with but I don't. I'll just have to knock him out. I raise my fist into the air, but he grabs my arm before I can hit him.

He violently yanks me toward him and our heads bash together. This stuns me for a second, long enough for him to throw me to the floor. He pins me down, a wild look in his eyes. He licks his lips. "Did you really think you could fool me? I know what you're trying to do." He brings his face close to mine. "You want me gone, but I'm not leaving. You can't get rid of me."

I struggle under him as he presses his lips to mine. I manage to get my arm free and slash his face, leaving red marks on his cheek. I am rewarded with a slap. Hot tears roll down my cheeks, earning me another slap.

I lunge forward and sink my teeth into his arm, biting down hard. I'm vaguely aware that this will also hurt my Peeta. Blood drips down his arm, and we both stare at it in disbelief. Did I really just bite him? The bite mark infuriates him, and he lashes out at me, scratching both my arms and my neck.

He forcibly kisses me one last time before doing the cruelest thing imaginable: letting the real Peeta back in control. There is an audible gasp, followed by a long period of silence. Peeta stares down at me with a look of pure horror on his face. He reaches out to touch my forehead but quickly pulls back, visibly shaking.

"What have I done to you?" He moves away from me and buries his head in his hands, hiding his tears.

"It wasn't you," I say softly, trying to comfort him.

"Don't you get it, Katniss?" He slowly lets his hands fall to his sides. "I _am_ him. I have darkness in me. He is that darkness personified."

"That's not true," I argue. If they are the same person, then why don't they act the same? My test confirms that they are different, doesn't it? If not, then I will definitely have to kill him; I don't want to kill him.

"He's nothing like you! You are kind, gentle, forgiving; he is cold, aggressive, hateful. You two are _not_ the same." To prove it, I pick a new name for the other Peeta. "I'm going to call him Mel, short for Mellark. Now you are the only Peeta."


	4. Only Option

Chapter 4: Only Option

Haymitch bursts into the room, startling me. He sees my injuries and pulls me away from Peeta, positioning himself between us. "Which one are you?"

I should be grateful to Haymitch for trying to protect me, but the way he is glaring at Peeta makes me angry. "He didn't do anything," I say defensively. "Mel and I got into a fight."

"Who the hell is Mel?" Haymitch asks, sounding completely baffled.

"It's the name I gave to the other one, the hijacked one." I quickly explain what happened minutes before he arrived.

"You shouldn't have been alone with him." Haymitch and I glare at each other in what I can only describe as a staring contest. He is the first to look away. "Your neck is bleeding."

I reach up to touch the scratch on my neck. It stings. I pull my hand away and examine the blood on my fingertips. "Oh."

Peeta looks so broken. He is hugging his knees to his chest, crying softly as he rocks back and forth. He must be blaming himself for my wounds.

"It's not your fault." I crawl over to him and wrap my arms around him. "You didn't do this."

He glances up at Haymitch. "He is me, isn't he? Tell her I did this."

Haymitch shakes his head. I can see the pain in his eyes as he kneels down to hug us both. "We might lose him," he whispers into my ear.

A part of me knows he is right. Peeta might do something drastic to protect me, like taking his own life. I have to prove to him that Mel is a different person. "Mel is a product of the Capitol. He is like the mutts we faced in the first arena. Remember how they had the dead tributes' eyes?" I wait for him to nod before continuing. "Every mutt is meant to hurt us or unnerve us. Tracker Jackers make you hallucinate. Jabberjays mimic human voices. They're all meant to torture us somehow, and Mel is no different."

"I have your blood on my hands," Peeta says seriously. "You bit me when you were fighting him." He shows me the wound I left on his arm. "That means him and I are the same."

Haymitch pulls away from us to get a good look at the sobbing boy. "That proves nothing. Was it your intention to hurt Katniss? No. Could you hurt her now? No. Do you hate her now? No." His words seem to calm Peeta. "If you don't feel any anger or hatred toward her, then you and him are not the same."

I brush my fingers through his soft hair. Mel is destroying him by injuring me. The Capitol must have wanted him to damage me as well as Peeta. Is this payback for his resistance during the hijacking?

"Let's get you two cleaned up." Haymitch disappears out the door, returning moments later with a first aid kit. He starts by disinfecting the bite mark on Peeta's arm, and I can't help feeling ashamed that I did that to him.

"It doesn't hurt," Peeta assures me, but I know he is lying.

Haymitch bandages the wound and then turns to me. "Your turn."

I want to argue that I can do it myself, but the look on his face stops me. Haymitch is acting like our friend and guardian rather than a drunk, and I should encourage this behavior. I hold out my injured arms and let him clean them. The cuts are superficial and are not bleeding, so he doesn't bother bandaging them. He pauses to examine my neck wound. "This one is the worst." He carefully begins disinfecting it and then covers it with bandages.

Peeta gives me the most heartbroken look I have ever seen. "Katniss, I can't do this anymore. You aren't safe around me. You weren't during the rebellion and you aren't now."

"It was the video," I say. "It made you vulnerable to him by reminding you of the pain you experienced." He had gotten some control over his hijacked side toward the end of the rebellion, but Plutarch's stupid video reversed his progress and made it ten times worse. We will just have to find a way to help him cope.

"There is something we can try," Haymitch mutters to no one in particular.

He can't mean the shock therapy! It's too dangerous. I won't risk damaging Peeta's brain."No! We're not doing that."

"Doing what?" Peeta asks, glancing up at Haymitch.

"Shock therapy."

Peeta doesn't hesitate to agree to it. "I'll do it. I want to get rid of Mel."

My breath catches in my throat. All the bad things that could happen race through my mind, namely him dying a painful death. "But you will be harmed in the process. If we mess up, you'll die!"

"It's my decision, Katniss," he says evenly. "I can't live like this."

Haymitch gathers the medical supplies and stands up, ready to return to his own room. "You two should get some rest. We'll talk more about this tomorrow."

Peeta lies down on the floor, and I curl up beside him. His arms are around me within seconds, holding me close to him. I snuggle into his warmth and close my eyes. Sleep comes fast and easy when I am with him.

When I wake up I can instantly tell that Mel has taken over. His grip on me is loose, unloving, and I notice the calm look in his eyes. Everything is right in his world. "Good to see you again, Mel."

"Mel?" He is feigning innocence, but he can't fool me. Peeta knows the name I gave to his hijacked side.

"You know what I'm talking about," I say angrily, crawling away from him.

He reaches for me with mock sadness. "How can I prove that it's me?"

This is a perfect chance to see if Mel knows Peeta's code word. "Get me some bread."

"Sure."

I guess there are things even Mel doesn't know. "Never mind. We have to wake Haymitch first."

I quickly rush out of the room and head down the hall to Haymitch's room. "Haymitch, open up." No response. I bang on the door with as much force as I can manage. He doesn't answer. I press my ear against the door, listening for signs of life. "Haymitch?" Something is wrong. He would have answered by now if he were alright. Did something happen to him? I desperately try to force my way into the room.

I can hear Mel laughing at me. "You won't find him in there."

"What did you do to him?" I ask, spinning around to face him. He seems to be amused by my attempts to force open the door, and I have a sinking feeling that something bad happened to Haymitch.

"Nothing." His laughter says otherwise.

Can I threaten the truth out of him? No. Mel knows better than to believe I would kill Peeta. I have to figure out some way to get him to talk. "You want to hurt me? Fine. You have. Now where is he?"

He stares at me for a long time, lips curled up in a snarl. He looks more like a beast than a human. "How should I know? He left early this morning."

I can't tell if Mel is lying or not. Is there a place Haymitch would go so early? Then I remember how he suggested shock therapy for Peeta. He must have gone to visit Nox in order to learn more about it. I let myself relax a little. "I know where he is."

I grab Mel's hand and lead him back to the building where the scientists are being kept. There is an armed guard stationed outside. "Excuse me. Is Haymitch in there?"

The guard gives me a curt nod. "Are you Katniss? He told me you were coming."

We enter the building and head down the nearest hallway on the left. Cell after cell holds one of the Capitol's most brilliant and deranged minds. I waist no time walking to the very end of the hallway and stopping in front of Nox's cell. He looks up at me, grinning when he sees Mel.

"So you have been freed," he says.

"Freed?" I repeat. Nox is too busy studying Mel to answer my question. I try asking again."What do you mean by that?"

Nox jots something down in the margin of a book. "He has 100% control over the boy's body. You see, hijacking a person to this degree is very hard. The hijacker, who you named Mel, can only distort the memories of the hijacked in the beginning. It takes awhile for him to get control of the hijacked. Haymitch tells me it all started when he saw the Capitol's propaganda."

I get it. During the rebellion, Peeta's memories of me were twisted. Mel made him believe that I was trying to kill him. Peeta must have realized his memories were being tampered with and refused to believe them. That's why it seemed like he was getting better after the rebellion had ended. "That's right. Was it the propaganda that freed him?"

"Yes." Nox closes the book. "It reminded your friend of his traumatic experience, which allowed the hijacker to step in and gain full access to his body."

There is one more question I have to ask. "Are Peeta and Mel the same person?"

Nox is silent for a long time, considering my words. "They are and they aren't. We used your friend's fear and pain to create Mel. He shares some knowledge of the person he is hijacking, but the two are ultimately different. I designed him to be cold and manipulative, the opposite of the boy he was to hijack."

I clench my fists in an attempt to stop myself from lunging at him. I hate Nox for what he did to Peeta and for creating Mel. "Haymitch was speaking to you earlier, wasn't he? Where is he now?"

Nox points to the stairs. "Basement."

I grab Mel's hand and drag him toward the stairs, but he is struggling in my grasp. I wonder if he is afraid of what we will find down there. No doubt it has something to do with shock therapy. I manage to get him halfway down the stairs before we start to hear voices.

"Are you sure about this?"

"No." I recognize Haymitch's voice. "But what other choice do we have?"


	5. Peeta's Life

Chapter 5: Peeta's Life

I reach the bottom of the stairs in time to see a woman messing with some type of machine. It hums and buzzes when she presses certain buttons. There is an examination table a foot away that is connected to the machine by a series of wires. The gray walls of the basement make it look like a dungeon, and I shudder to think this might end up being Peeta's grave.

"It's almost ready," she tells Haymitch.

They haven't noticed us yet. I still have time to get Mel out of here undetected, but should I really be saving the hijacker? I would be doing it for Peeta's sake, of course, but then we would have no way to separate him from Mel. I have to let them try shock therapy.

I shove Mel into the room and act as if I planned this. "I brought him."

Haymitch turns his head at the sound of my voice, surprised by my sudden appearance. "Let's get him onto the table."

I have to drag Mel's failing body over to the examination table, and Haymitch helps me lift him onto it. We restrain his arms and legs with ropes. He looks like an animal that is about to undergo cruel experiments. Is this what it was like when Peeta was tortured? Did they tie him to some table and do unspeakable things to him? I have a strong desire to rescue him. "Will it hurt?" No one answers me. I angrily grab the woman's arm and force her to look at me. "Will it hurt?"

She exchanges a glance with Haymitch, who simply nods in response. "Yes," she says slowly, prying my hand off her arm. "It will hurt." She attaches the wires to his head and chest.

"Katniss?"

I turn my attention to the boy on the table. He is no longer thrashing around or trying to free himself. Mel must have given control back to Peeta. How cruel of him. I close the distance between us and take his hand. "I'm here. Don't worry."

"You shouldn't touch the patient."

"I'm not letting go of his hand," I say firmly, glaring at her. As if I can let Peeta be tortured without at least trying to comfort him.

She turns on the machine and presses a button. Instantly, Peeta's grip on my hand tightens as the pain begins. His jaw is clenched and his eyes are squeezed shut, trying to block out the world around him. I gently massage his hand and then his arm, wanting nothing more than to make his pain my own. His screams chill me to the bone.

"Phase one complete," the woman says, pressing a button labeled 'stop'.

Peeta's body is shaking on the cold table, his hand still clasped in mine. I lean down to kiss his lips, which seems to comfort him a little. He relaxes under me and kisses back, melting into the tender love I'm giving him. He places his free hand on my shoulder and brings me closer to him, wanting more, and I'm happy to oblige.

I don't hear the arguing until Peeta and I break apart. The woman is clearly distressed that I am bothering her patient, and Haymitch is trying to calm her down. "Just let her kiss the boy, Rosemary. It won't interfere with the therapy. Besides, if he dies..."

Rosemary sighs in frustration. "Don't guilt-trip me, Haymitch. I know what will happen if he dies."

Everyone turns to look at me, including Peeta. "What happens if he dies?" I ask softly, my voice barely audible.

"We lose you, too," Haymitch says sadly.

It's true; they would lose me. I would have nothing without Peeta. _Nothing_. I would live out the rest of my miserable life alone, damaged beyond repair.

Peeta reaches up to brush a lock of hair from my face. "You won't ever lose me. I promise."

The machine beeps three times, alerting Rosemary to a change in the numbers on the screen. "His heart rate and blood pressure have returned to normal. It's safe to begin phase two."

Phase two is much more agonizing than phase one. Peeta's finger nails dig into the palm of his hands, causing them to bleed. His teeth bite down on his lip, suppressing a wail by drawing blood. His whole body jerks and twists in awkward positions, which causes him even more pain. The restraints can barely contain his constant thrashing. This goes on until his body stops moving, resulting in the machine letting out an unending beep.

"The electricity stopped his heart!" Rosemary rushes to the examination table and tries to resuscitate Peeta.

I trail my fingers down his cheek. "He's dead?" I ask Haymitch, letting the tears flow freely down my face. I feel Haymitch's arms around me, comforting me. Maybe it's better this way. He will finally be free from his hijacker. No more Mel; no more Peeta.

Shouldn't I be happy that he is no longer in pain? His final moments were filled with agonizing torture, but I can't bring myself to rejoice at his death. A longing for him burns deep within me, destroying every rational thought in my mind. I need to be with him. I need to show him how special he is to me, but the chance has passed me by. Peeta will never wake up again; and I will never be whole again.

"I never told him how much I love him," I sob into Haymitch's chest. "He doesn't know... he doesn't know."

Haymitch rocks me back and forth. "He knows, sweetheart. He knows."

I feel so empty, so lost without him. I want him back. "It wasn't worth it. Getting rid of Mel wasn't worth Peeta's life." If only I had realized that sooner, then Peeta would still be with us.

Haymitch nods in agreement. "Nothing was worth the boy's life."

Rosemary is talking to us, but I can't understand her over my sobs. I feel her shaking me, shouting words in my ear. "It's okay! I managed to resuscitate him. He'll live."

It's hard for me to grasp Rosemary's words. He'll live? Peeta is alive? I yank myself free of Haymitch's arms and rush forward, climbing onto the examination table. I carefully remove the wires connecting him to the machine. His eyes flutter open and he stares at me, a small smile tugging at his lips. I press myself as close to him as I can get, wanting our bodies to become one. I don't ever want to be apart from him again.

"How are you feeling?" I ask.

Peeta groans. "My whole body hurts. I don't think we will be seeing Mel for awhile. He doesn't like pain."

I give his face as many kisses as possible, encouraged by his attempts to kiss me back. My fingers find his trembling chest and bring warmth to his chilled skin. He responds by draping his arms around me and gently caresses my neck and shoulders. Peeta is so sweet. I can't believe I almost lost him.

"Peeta, there's something I need to tell you." Almost losing him made me realize that I need to tell him how I feel. He has to hear it at least once.

He lifts his head, confusion shining in his blue eyes. "What is it?"

"I..." I don't know how to say it. Are the words supposed to just fall out of my mouth? "I-I..." I summon all my courage and blurt it out. "I love you!"


	6. Love and Pain

Chapter 6: Love and Pain

Peeta offers me the brightest smile he can manage in his condition. "I love you, too." He props himself up on his elbows and presses his forehead against mine. We stay like this for a long time, comforted by each other.

"Should we start phase three?" Rosemary asks Haymitch.

She can't be serious. Her stupid machine almost got Peeta killed! I feel anger building up inside me, threatening to spill out of my mouth. I force myself to calm down before I say something I will regret. "No! There has to be another way to get rid of Mel."

Haymitch considers this for a moment. "It's possible that Nox was lying when he said this was our only option. Rosemary, is there another way to suppress the hijacker?"

"Well, there is one thing we can try." She turns her attention to Peeta. "The hijacker is intent on harming your lover. I assume you don't want that, correct?" Rosemary waits for him to nod before continuing. "If your desire to protect her is strong enough, then you can regain some control over your own body."

"Is that similar to how Mel takes over?" I ask. "He has such a strong desire to hurt me?"

"Yes," Rosemary replies, confirming my suspicions.

Haymitch walks over to the table and lifts Peeta onto his back. "I think we're done here." We slowly make our way back to the hotel. Once there, Haymitch carefully sets Peeta down on the bed in my room and covers him with the blanket. "He needs to rest."

I thank Haymitch for his help as he heads back to his own room, leaving the two of us alone. I crawl into bed beside Peeta and rest my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. It's the most important sound in my world.

Peeta trails his fingers down my back. "Katniss, what if he comes back? It's not safe to be around me."

"I don't care," I mutter into his chest. "I'm not ever leaving you again." Let Mel come. I'll force him to give Peeta back to me.

I spend the rest of the day taking care of him. I feed him small amounts of soup, get him water, and give him just about anything else he wants. All he wants is to cuddle with me. Peeta is so easy to please. At night, I help him change out of his uncomfortable clothes and into some pajamas. "Are you in much pain?"

Peeta shakes his head. "Not with you here to distract me."

I lean over to kiss his neck. "Glad I can help."

He snakes his arms around my waist and pulls me close, nuzzling my cheek. The sweet gesture of affection sets off a fire under my skin. I bring my hands up to play with his hair while I kiss his lips. I can tell he likes it by the way he kisses me back. Good. I want to take his pain away.

Peeta pulls away suddenly, a strange look in his eyes. Is that fear? "Stop. It feels too good." He covers his face with his his hand. "Mel."

Now I understand. The pain keeps Mel at bay, locking him deep within Peeta's body. If I replace that pain with pleasure, then Mel will want to return. "There has to be a way to get rid of him."

"You know what it is," Peeta says softly. "I have to die."

No! There must be another way to save him from Mel. "Peeta, I need you with me. As selfish as it sounds, I can't live without you."

He uncovers his face so that I can see his blue eyes. "You will find someone else."

Tears spring to my eyes before I can stop them. Does he really believe that? I try to picture myself with someone else, but it's impossible to imagine. There isn't anyone else for me. It's always been him. "There are only a handful of people I truly love, you know that." I kiss his cheek. "You are one of those people. You are the only one I'm_ in _love with. There will never be anyone else. Never."

My words bring a small smile to his face. "That's my line. You are the only one I've loved since I was five. No one else can compare to you."

I remain awake long after Peeta has fallen asleep. The thought of Mel taking him away from me is too much to handle. I have to find a way to save the boy I love, but how? Shock therapy didn't work, and that was our only lead so far. Nox was just one of the scientist to hijack Peeta. Maybe the others know something he doesn't. I decide to find out in the morning.

I get up at dawn and crawl out of bed, being careful not to wake Peeta. I take a quick shower and throw on some clean clothes. I kiss the sleeping boy on the forehead and leave the hotel room. He will wake up in a few short hours, and I want to be back before he notices I'm gone.

"Haymitch," I say to his closed door. "We need to talk to the other scientists involved in Peeta's hijacking."

He swings open the door and yawns. "I thought we were going to try Rosemary's idea first."

I shake my head. "That won't work. Do you really think Peeta wanted Mel to cut up my arms and neck the other day?"

"Of course not," Haymitch replies. I can tell that he knows where this conversation is going.

"He couldn't stop Mel then, so what makes you think he can do it now?" I ask angrily.

Haymitch gives me an exasperated sigh. "Look, Peeta has more knowledge of his situation now than he did before. That means he can play at Mel's game and take control whenever _he_ wants to." He chooses his next words carefully. "I know you don't want to hear this, but the shock therapy might have helped him a little. Mel has been gone since yesterday, hasn't he?"

I bite my lip because I know he is right. Even so, I can't shake the feeling that there is something more I can do for him. "You stay here and watch Peeta," I say decisively. "I'll go alone." I take off running before he can stop me.


	7. A New Plan

Chapter 7: A New Plan

I never make it to my destination. Mel has me cornered in an alley, trapped between him and a dead-end. I shouldn't have tried to avoid him; I don't know the Capitol streets well enough to make a proper escape.

"What's the matter? Nowhere left to run?" Mel takes a step toward me, a wide grin on his face. "I've been waiting for a chance to kill you since the day I was freed."

I press myself against the wall, unable to flee. What can I do? There isn't anything lying around that I can use to defend myself. I am completely unarmed. "Would you really stoop so low as to kill an unarmed girl?"

He casually shrugs. "If you really thought Peeta couldn't regain control, why are you running around without a weapon? You must have some faith in him, but I'm going to show you that your trust is misplaced."

So this is where my life will end. Of all the places I could have died, why an alley? And why at the hands of Mel, Peeta's hijacker? Fate is cruel. Peeta is going to spend the rest of his life blaming himself for my death. I don't want that. He deserves to have a good life, but that won't happen if he thinks my death is his fault. He will never marry; never have kids; never enjoy the time he has been given.

"Peeta," I say slowly.

Mel gives me a look of pure hatred. "Peeta? He's not here! But he does have a front row seat to your demise. I'll kill you slowly, so he can see the light drain from your eyes."

I have to get through to him somehow. "Peeta, this isn't your fault! Don't waste your life mourning my death! Please. Marry a nice girl, one who isn't damaged like I am. Have a few beautiful children. And..." my voice drops to a whisper. "Forget about me."

For a split second, I can see his expression change from hatred to sadness. A few tears drip down his cheeks as Peeta tries to return to me. He wants to come back, but Mel refuses to let him win. "Please..." he mutters. "Please... don't hurt her..." I recognize Peeta's soft voice in an instant.

"Shut up!" Mel growls. He lunges at me, pinning me to the wall. "What should I do to her, Peeta?" A smile spreads across his face. "Death it is. Sorry, love, it's time for you to go." He strikes me over the head with a crowbar, and I lose consciousness almost immediately.

I regain consciousness in a pitch black room. The air is chilly, and the room smells of chemicals. My head is in bandages, and I'm lying on what I think is an examination table. I have no idea where I am or how I got here.

The lights flicker on, and I am greeted by Rosemary. "Haymitch found you two unconscious in an alley. We brought you here."

"Where am I?" I ask, taking in my surroundings. The walls are pure white, and the only object in the room is the table I'm currently sitting on.

"Laboratory A. This facility was used to experiment on prisoners of war," she tells me. "Many of them did not survive their first week here."

I hop off the table in disgust. Why did she bring me here, to a place were countless people have died? "Where's Peeta?"

Rosemary leads me into an identical room. Peeta is sitting on an examination table with his head in his hands. He looks up when we enter the room, and I notice the tears in his eyes.

"Katniss, you're alive." He's at my side in an instant. "They wouldn't tell me anything. I thought... I thought you were dead."

"Why would you let him believe I was dead?" I ask angrily.

Rosemary scribbles something down on a piece of paper. "The experiment was a success." She looks up at our confused faces and continues. "Mel was in control when he regained consciousness. He kept asking about you. I assumed that he wanted to know if you were alive. Haymitch and I decided not to tell him, and he came to the conclusion that you were dead. That's when Peeta came back to us, grief-stricken and inconsolable. In other words, his emotions are the key to getting rid of Mel."

"My emotions?" Peeta repeats, sounding just as confused as I am.

"Let me explain. You have an overwhelming love for Katniss, correct? You became very distraught when you thought she was dead. Your feelings toward her created strong emotional pain that Mel didn't like. He went into hiding after that."

"Mel can feel Peeta's pain?" That must be how he knew that my death would hurt Peeta. They must be connected somehow.

Rosemary nods. "Of course. The hijacker shares his body. Whatever Peeta feels, Mel feels as well. It doesn't work the other way around. Not anymore, at least. Mel's hatred for you was created from Peeta's fear and pain. He twisted Peeta's memories in the beginning so that he hated you, too. But now Peeta can differentiate between the real and fake memories, breaking Mel's hold over his emotions."

That makes sense, I guess. But how does that help us get ride of Mel? Will Peeta have to be in a constant state of pain in order for this to work? Maybe he is better off dead. "I don't want Peeta to be in pain for the rest of his life."

"He won't be," Rosemary assures me. "Not if we can lock Mel away inside Peeta's mind. Haymitch has a plan, but we need time to finish preparing. I'll leave you two alone." She retreats into the hallway and closes the door.


	8. The Hostage

Chapter 8: The Hostage

"What's this plan of theirs?" I ask nervously. Whatever it is, it can't be good. I'm reluctant to let them anywhere near Peeta after what the shock therapy did to him, but getting rid of Mel is my first priority. Peeta said it himself: He can't live in constant fear of his hijacker. There is no way to reverse the hijacking, but we can prevent Mel from taking over. I'll do anything to help Peeta win this fight.

"I don't know," he replies. Peeta looks so worn, so fragile now. He wears an almost constant frown, and there are bags under his eyes. He stands at a distance, as if he is afraid to get close to me. He acted like this during the rebellion too, but now it is much worse. Now, Peeta refuses to look me in the eye. He hasn't been the same since Plutarch's party.

I close the distance between us and take his hand in mine. "You don't have to worry," I tell him. "I'm not afraid of you." My words seem to bring him a sense of relief, but he makes no attempt to touch me.

"Katniss, when you told me to forget about you... What did you mean by that?"

"I thought that Mel was going to kill me," I admit. "I didn't want you to regret my death. You..." A part of me doesn't want to finish that sentence, but I manage to force the words out. "You deserve to be happy, even if it's not with me."

Peeta makes a soft moaning sound, as if he's in pain. "It doesn't work like that, Katniss. I can't just walk into a room full of girls and say, 'I'm going to love that one now'."

"I know that!" I snap. My words came out sounding harsher than I had meant them to, so I take a moment to calm myself down. "I know. But over time-"

He cuts me off. "You don't understand. I can't... If you die, I won't ever get married. Not because I will regret your death..." He brings his hands to my face, gently touching my cheek with his finger tips. "But because you are the _only_ one for me."

_Don't cry, _I tell myself. _Do _not_ cry. _Too late. The tears are rolling down my cheeks before I can stop them. "Peeta..." How did such a sweet boy fall in love with _me_? Out of anyone in the world, why me? I don't deserve him.

The door swings open suddenly, slamming against the wall. Peeta and I both jump, and he instantly shoves me behind him. I'm completely confused until I see Haymitch in the doorway, pointing a gun at us. Wait, a _gun?_ What's going on here? "What the hell, Haymitch!" I gasp, eyes wide.

"Get away from her, boy. She's dangerous," he says.

His words aren't making any sense to me. I'm not dangerous. I don't even have a weapon! Peeta makes no attempt to move away from me. His body is rigid and forms a wall between me and Haymitch.

"Move! Or I'll shoot you as well as her." He aims the gun directly at Peeta's heart.

"I don't know what's going on," Peeta begins, raising his arms defensively. "But I'm not going to let you hurt her."

Only now do I realize what is happening. Haymitch is threatening both our lives, and Peeta is protecting me. His life is in danger, but Mel isn't taking over in order to escape the dire situation. Could Peeta be suppressing Mel with his strong desire to save me? That must be it!

There is a soft clicking noise, and Peeta turns to cover me with his body. Nothing happens. I pull myself free of his grasp, glaring daggers at Haymitch.

"It worked," he says cheerfully.

"What worked?" Peeta asks, spinning around to face him.

I clench my hands into fists. "Scaring us half to death! But I assume you meant your little plan."

Peeta forces a laugh. "I always knew you would kill us in a drunken rage."

Haymitch raises an eyebrow. "The gun wasn't loaded. Did you two actually think I was going to shoot? Good. That was the plan. I had expected Mel to take over, but he didn't. That confirms my theory."

"What theory?" I ask.

He reaches into his pocket and grabs a folded piece of paper. "This one." He unfolds it and begins reading aloud. "The hijacker's purpose is to mentally harm its victim by any means necessary. It will take control for one of two reasons. One, if the hijacker thinks it can accomplish its goal. Two, if the hijacker's life is threatened. Upon further research, we have discovered that different hijackers have different weaknesses. Mel hates pain. He will retreat if his victim suffers sever physical or emotional pain."

"What does that have to do with nearly shooting us? Peeta wasn't in pain," I point out.

Haymitch stuffs the paper back into his pocket. "Wrong you are, sweetheart. Tell me, boy, what did you feel when I threatened her life?"

"I was terrified," Peeta admitted quietly. "I saw the gun and panicked."

"And did the thought of losing her hurt you?" Haymitch asks.

"Yes."

Oh. I hide my face in embarrassment. Of course the idea of me dying would hurt him. He just got done telling me how much I mean to him right before Haymitch arrived. I reach for him, but he moves away.

"I'm on to your tricks, old man," he says angrily.

That's Mel. I can tell by the venom in his voice. He must be afraid that we really will lock him away inside Peeta's mind.

Mel makes a move toward the door. He's going to flee. I have to stop him. "Don't let him out the door!"

Haymitch leaps forward and tackles Mel to the ground. "Get some rope!"

I frantically search the room for anything useful, but the only thing in the room is the bed. Nothing useful there. "There isn't any!"

"Damn." He struggles to maintain a firm hold on Mel, who is thrashing violently.

"Let me go! If you don't, then I'll..." He looks at me and a cruel smile appears on his face. "Then I'll do unspeakable things to her!" This startles Haymitch, who loosens his grip ever so slightly, giving Mel the opportunity to escape.

Mel manages to free himself and runs toward me, grabbing my arm. I claw at his hand, but he won't let go. I take a swing at his face, but he catches my arm and forces it back to my side. "Don't fight me, love. It will only get worse for you." He knows that I can't hurt him, not when he shares Peeta's face.

Haymitch tosses the gun aside and pulls a knife from his belt. "I'm warning you, boy. Release her."

"No," Mel says firmly. "She is my hostage."


	9. Bruised and Broken

Warning: torture scene below.

This chapter is pretty dark.

* * *

><p>Chapter 9: Bruised and Broken<p>

Mel's hand trails along my bare arm, making me shiver. I hate his touch. It's so rough and emotionless; so unlike Peeta's gentleness. Does he plan on using me as a bargaining chip for his escape? Haymitch will never agree to a trade, or at least I hope he won't.

I shudder as I remember what he said moments ago. What are these unspeakable things that he is going to do to me? His words even surprised Haymitch, who had him pinned to the ground. He must not have been expecting Mel to threaten me like that. I feel so... used. Mel uses my life to get what he wants, whether it is hurting Peeta or fleeing from danger. I mean absolutely nothing to him.

Haymitch gives me an uncertain look, and I shake my head. "Don't let him go. He will disappear forever, and then how will we help Peeta?"

"Quiet!" He yanks my hair until I utter a cry of pain. I quickly bite my lip, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of hearing me scream. "Listen, old man," he continues slowly, still holding onto my hair. "You are going to let me go, and I'm going to take her with me. She won't be harmed, I promise."

"And how do I know you won't do anything to her once you escape?" Haymitch asks.

Mel laughs. "You won't. However, if you don't let me go, then I'll just kill her right now!" His fingers curl around my neck, cutting off my airway. "Or would you rather I do this?" He removes his hands from my throat and moves them toward my own hand. He bends two of my fingers backward, successfully breaking them.

I force back tears as I elbow him in the gut, and then I drop to the floor and kick his legs out from under him. He falls on top of me and grabs my injured hand, squeezing it tightly in his. I yelp, and he presses his lips to mine.

"Don't do that!" I shout angrily, breaking the forced kiss.

"What's the matter, love? Don't like my kisses? That almost breaks my heart." He bends down to kiss other parts of my body, much to my disgust.

His hands are clenched around my arms, and his knees are pressed against my legs. He hovers over me and continues to kiss me. I feel sharp pains in my legs as he roughly presses closer to me. It hurts... I want it to stop... Why isn't Peeta trying to regain control? Is Mel stopping him? He must be. Peeta would come to my rescue in an instant if he were able to.

I cry out in pain as he sinks his teeth into my neck. "Payback," he says, reminding me that I bit his arm during one of our fights.

I claw at the hands that are holding me down, but his grip on me remains firm. His fingers brush against my thighs, and I shrink away in panic. What's he going to do to me? Is he making Peeta watch? I'm sure he is.

I can't get away from him. He is too strong for me to fight off without a weapon. His lips crash down on mine again, and he promptly bites my lip. Blood fills my mouth and makes me choke. "Stop..."

"What's that, love? Don't like it when I touch you? Just pretend it's him, not me." He glares at Haymitch, who is moving toward us now. "Stay back! I can do much worse than this." He digs his finger into my eye, and my screams fill the air.

I struggle against him as he begins kissing me again. Tears leak out of my good eye, and he licks them away. I hate him! I hate how he shares Peeta's face! He wants me to feel as if Peeta is torturing me, but I won't be fooled. Peeta would _never _do this to me. His hands wouldn't hurt me like this. His lips would show me love, not pain.

Mel places one of my broken fingers between his teeth and bites down on it, causing me to shriek. He does the same with the other one, leaving teeth marks in my skin. Then he slams my injured fingers into the ground, calling forth another scream.

More kisses follow my cries of misery. His kisses fill me with rage and shame. I'm angry that he is taking advantage of me; and I'm ashamed that I can't stop him from doing it.

Peeta must be in so much pain watching Mel do this to me. I won't let him suffer anymore. I'll get away, for his sake and mine. "Get off of me, you disgusting pig!"

He lifts his head to respond, and that's when I knee him where it hurts. I crawl out from under him and run toward Haymitch. I don't stop until I'm outside the room, and Haymitch quickly shuts the door behind me, locking it up tight.

"What's the rest of this brilliant plan of yours? All you did was anger Mel!" It's only then that I realize the agony my whole body is in. My fingers hurt terribly, and there is blood dripping from my eye. Hold on... I can't see out of that eye! The only sign that it still exists is the piercing pain that shoots through it. I examine the rest of my body. There are red marks on my arms and legs that will eventually become bruises.

"Your question can wait." Haymitch leads me to a room across the hall. He has me sit on an examination table as a doctor named Roz patches up my beaten body.

The doctor starts off by checking the head injury I received before coming to Laboratory A. Then he puts a gauze over my eye and secures it with bandages. "We won't be able to fix your eye until the bleeding stops." He places a splint on each of my broken fingers, and then he takes a quick look at the rest of me. "You'll be fine."

Fine? I've just been tortured by Mel! "How am I fine? My body hurts all over, and my heart..." It's bleeding. Bleeding for me and for Peeta, who had to witness it all. He must be so horrified right now.

Dr. Roz gives me a bottle of pain medication before turning to address Haymitch. "She will be fine. _Physically_," he emphasizes. "Mentally, well, I'm no psychologist."

"Thank you for treating her, doctor," he replies.

Once the doctor leaves, I turn on Haymitch. "Now will you answer my question? How do you plan to get rid of Mel?"

"Phase one is to scare Mel away into the darkest corner of Peeta's mind. Only then can we start phase two. Phase two is to give Peeta a pill that will repress certain memories, namely bad ones. The pill will specifically target memories of his torture and of Plutarch's stupid video. You know, the one that freed Mel. If all goes as planned, Peeta won't switch personalities anymore."

"But Mel will still exist, right?" I ask softly. I want him to go away for good after what he did to me.

Haymitch gives me a sad look. "Unfortunately, there is no way to completely remove Mel from Peeta's mind. The memories will also still be there, but the medicine will make them feel less real to him. It will be as if he dreamed the whole thing."

Something about this plan bothers me. Will Mel come back if Peeta stops taking the medicine? If so, does that mean he will have to take it forever? "Will he have to take the medicine for the rest of his life?"

Haymitch won't look me in the eye. "Yes."

I can accept that. Nothing else matters as long as I can get him back. He might blame himself for my injuries, but I will assure him that it wasn't his fault. I will help him through his suffering, and he will help me through mine. Everything will be okay. It has to be okay. "How do we scare him?"

Haymitch shakes his head. "With pain."

I'm not thrilled about torturing Peeta again, but there isn't another way to scare Mel. His only weakness is pain. "Fine. Where's Rosemary?"

"Getting the medicine," he says. "We need you to play dead for awhile."

"You're going to let him believe I'm dead again?" The words are barely audible.

He places a hand on my shoulder in an attempt to calm me. It wasn't working. "Worse than that. We're going to let him believe Mel tortured you to death."


	10. The Cure

Chapter 10: The Cure

I open my mouth to protest, but my voice is muffled by his shirt as he gives me a comforting hug. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. We have no other choice. He will be fine once he sees you again."

"No, he will be _broken_," I argue, pushing him away from me. "You're going to _break_ him."

Haymitch doesn't respond. He turns on his heel and leaves the room, beckoning for me to follow him. I carefully climb off the examination table and stumble after him, my legs refusing to move properly. I'm led into the room directly next to Peeta's, where there is a one-sided window that allows me to see into his room.

"The plan starts now," he tells me.

I watch as he disappears out of the room and heads to Peeta's door. It takes the crazed boy a few minutes to decide whether or not to open it, but when he does his words are cold. "What happened to her?" His voice is as clear as if he were standing in front of me.

Haymitch lets out a long sigh and closes his eyes. "She died of her injuries. You win, Mel. You tortured her to death."

The shift from Mel to Peeta happens instantly. "No," he whispers. "You're lying." He looks around the room and immediately spots my blood on the floor. With unsteady movements, Peeta manages to make his way toward it. "Did he really do this?" There is a long pause. "Did _I_ really do this?"

"Your hands did it," Haymitch replies coldly. "You could have stopped him, but you didn't! He broke her fingers, stabbed out her eye, and sexually assaulted her!"

Wait, that last part didn't happen! Well, I mean, Mel did kiss me and touch me against my will, but he didn't do anything else. Peeta is going to assume the worst, and it's all Haymitch's fault. I pound on the glass that separates us, screaming angrily. "Don't tell him that!" It's no use. He can't hear me through the glass.

Peeta's whole body begins shaking with sorrow. He hides his face in his hands, but I can still see the tears dripping through his closed fingers. He lets out a pitiful sob that shatters my heart and soul. "I tried, Haymitch. I tried so hard to get back to her." He has to stop as another sob racks through his body. "I want to hold her in my arms and tell her I'm so sorry." Peeta wraps his arms around himself, unable to stop the tears from flowing down his cheeks.

I drop to my knees with my hands pressed against the glass, crying softly. I can't take much more of this. Why is Haymitch making me watch? Is it so I know how to comfort him? "I want to hold you too, Peeta."

Haymitch's face softens when he sees the emotional turmoil that Peeta is in. "She never blamed you for it. She knew it was Mel who hurt her, not you."

"But," Peeta mumbles through sobs, "it was my body that did it. She must have been in so much pain. I never wanted that for her. I wanted to be by her side everyday and show her love, but just look at what I've done! I... I..." It's a long time before he can force the words out. "I showed her a horrible act of violence!"

Haymitch seems to realize that he's gone too far. "You didn't do anything, boy. It was Mel. You're not even capable of doing something so violent."

Peeta grabs at the place where his heart is. "I deserve this pain. Let me live with it forever, as a reminder of what a horrible person I am." His body loses all sense of balance and he falls to a heap on the floor, curling himself into a ball.

That's it! I don't care about this stupid plan anymore. I need to get to him, or else we will both die of broken hearts. I rush to Peeta's room and bang on the door with enough force to bust it. Someone grabs me from behind and shoves me to the ground.

"Let me give him the pill first," Rosemary says softly.

Peeta's sobs get louder and louder as she opens the door and walks inside. I can hear her telling Haymitch to hold him down so that she can give it to him, but he doesn't resist when she tries to feed him the medicine.

Haymitch joins me in the hallway and kneels down to pick me up. I can't help feeling a strong hatred for him stir inside me as he takes me into the room. Peeta isn't looking at me. He's still curled up on the floor, crying his heart at. I'm barely aware of being set down beside the sobbing boy, who still has yet to notice me.

"It's okay, Peeta," I say softly.

My voice makes him jump. "Katniss?" He stares at me for a long time, trying to decide if I'm real. Peeta reaches out to gently touch my face. "Just look at what I've done to you. Your eye..." He touches the bandages with his thumb. "And your fingers." He gingerly lifts my injured hand to his lips, kissing my broken fingers. "And those bruises." He whimpers as he counts every bruise on my body.

I shake my head. "You didn't _do_ any of this." My arms coil around his shaking body and bring him close to me. He rests his head on my shoulder, and I kiss his neck.

"Why?" he whispers in my ear. "Why did Haymitch tell me all that? He said that you were dead, and that I could have prevented it."

"I'm sorry. I didn't want him to put you through that." I rock him back and forth, whispering soothing words to him.

We stay like this for a long time, holding each other tightly. Rosemary tries to break us apart so she can examine Peeta, but I won't let her get near him. No one can have him, not after what they did! I won't ever let him go again.

* * *

><p>There will be only one more chapter. I hope you have enjoyed the story so far! Stay tuned for the epilogue.<p> 


	11. Epilogue

Chapter 11: Epilogue

It has been over a month since we last saw Mel. Peeta has managed to maintain a strict schedule of taking the medicine when he wakes up and before he goes to bed, since the pill only works for twelve hours. If he doesn't take it at exactly the same time each day, then Mel will escape from his prison. When that happens, I have to knock him out and force-feed him the medicine. Thankfully, I have only had to do that once in the last two months.

Peeta wasn't allowed to leave the Capitol until a week ago. He had to be constantly monitored by Rosemary and Dr. Roz in case he relapsed, which did happen a few days after he started taking the medicine. I stayed with him in the Capitol because I didn't want to go home alone. The two of us were resting after a long night when Mel decided to pay us a visit. Peeta had only missed the scheduled time to take his medicine by one hour, but it was enough time to free Mel. He would have killed me if I hadn't grabbed the lamp from the nightstand and used it to render him unconscious. After that, Peeta has made sure to take the medicine every twelve hours.

Once we returned to District 12, I immediately packed my things and moved into Peeta's house. My experience with Mel made me realize that I can't be without Peeta. I can't spend my nights alone anymore, because I'm afraid that he will be taken from me. I need to have him with me when I go to sleep and when I wake up. Him being there beside me gives me the courage to make it through the day. As cheesy as it sounds, I can't live without him. He is the only person that I truly love.

My eye has been fixed by the Capitol. Everything is so clear and bright out of the new one that it sometimes seems surreal to me. Was the grass always this green; the sky always this blue? To be honest, I hate it with my entire being. It's a product of the Capitol; a fake. My real eye was destroyed by Mel.

My fingers haven't been the same since Mel broke them. They hurt when I clench my hand into a fist or when I try to lift something that's too heavy. They have this unsteadiness to them, this weakness that I can't explain. Dr. Roz says it's because the bones didn't heal quite right, and Peeta blames himself for it, of course.

I will be okay, though. The physical pain has vanished along with my injuries, leaving only a frightening memory. I relive the torture in my nightmares, where Mel is still a very real threat. The nightmares don't bother me so long as Peeta is there when I wake up. His blue eyes are always filled with a loving look that can banish the fear from my mind.

Peeta is still afraid of hurting me. His touch has become so light, so gentle that I sometimes don't notice it at all. His kisses are short and infrequent, but I can still feel the love in each one. He loves me enough to distance himself from me physically until he is sure he won't harm me.

In the end, this ordeal has brought us closer together on an emotional level. I'm no longer afraid to share my secrets with him. I want him to know all of me, not just what's on the surface. He also shares everything he is with me. There are days when we do nothing but talk about our fears, our hopes, our dreams for the future. We've become open books to each other, but it has helped us heal from the wounds Mel left on our hearts.


End file.
